A typical sport board assembly, for example a snowboard assembly, includes a snowboard and a snowboard binding assembly for each foot that is attached to the top surface of the snowboard that binds a rider's feet to the snowboard in one fixed position. One disadvantage of this typical snowboard binding systems lack of movement of the boot once the binding is engaged. In order to adjust the position, or orientation, of the rider's feet in relation to the snowboard, the binding equipment must be adjusted into a different setting. This adjustments typically take as much as twenty minutes and requires specific tools.
Another issue with typical snowboard bindings is that riders have difficulty when loading/unloading at chairlifts. Specifically, typical snowboard bindings limit the ability to quickly and easily remove the rider's boot from the board to push the rider across flat surfaces. Typically, in such instances, a snowboarder must first come to a stop, release one or more of the bindings, perform an action (e.g., loading/unloading from a chairlift), stop to rebind the boot, and only then start moving again. Furthermore, a rider typically will sit down in the snow to release and/or rebind the boot which requires the rider to then make an effort to get back up into a riding position.
Furthermore, due to the fixed position of the rider's feet, problems with the knee, known as “torqued knee” and problems with ankles are typical in this sport. “Torqued knee” comes from pushing the board with the back foot once unbound from the binding while the front foot is still at the riding angle. This causes stress throughout the front leg but more typically the knee joint. This riding position further causes difficulty at lifts and in crowds.
These problems are further exaggerated for people with large feet. Keeping a rider with large feet in a comfortable position can result in at least a portion of the rider's feet dragging on snow when in use, which decreases the turning angle and acts as a brake. This will not only slow down the rider but can cause falls. In order to prevent dragging for people with large feet, the foot is positioned on the board at a larger angle, which exaggerates the above mentioned problem of “torqued knee.” Placing feet at the larger angle therefore causes a tedious riding experience and results in more often, as well as more severe, falls and a greater risk of injury.
Thus, there remains a need for an improved system for securely connecting a rider to a snowboard.